The Woodshop Listening Room in St. Elmo is a home for all kinds of music including Forever Bluegrass Fridays and their Wednesday jazz nights.
But this Thursday they’ll host a free evening of local blues featuring Rick Rushing and Jhett Black.
If you’ve lived in Chattanooga for any length of time, you’ve probably crossed paths with Rick Rushing. He plays live shows all over the city, appears on local radio, and has hosted various open mics and blues jams for years.
He’s even the centerpiece of a towering mural on the south side of the Chattanooga Choo Choo by The Artist 7.
Rick is a Chattanooga native who comes from a musical family that includes Jimmy Rushing, former vocalist for Count Basie’s Big Band Orchestra. He’s been a part of the Chattanooga music scene his whole life, whether he’s playing his own songs or sitting in with other local bands.
Jhett Black is a relative newcomer to Chattanooga. Originally from a small town New Mexico, he was drawn to Tennessee by the lure of Nashville. But he quickly found himself gravitating to Chattanooga.
His recent album, Babel, was mixed and mastered locally at Sonic Hill Studios. It has gone on to chart internationally, and Jhett is preparing to embark on his second European tour.
“I’m actually a pretty big fan of Rick Rushing,” he said. “I used to go to his blues nights at the old Songbirds, and they really inspired me to continue pressing into and exploring the blues.”
Rick Rushing and Jhett Black will perform along with Alex the Band this Thursday, June 6th as part of their weekly Woodshop Variety Show. Doors open at 7, music starts at 8, and there is no cover.